Numerous devices exist for processing checks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,536 to Lindemann, et al., describes a check processing device which is used together with a Point-of-Sale terminal. This particular device involves copying and taking a picture of an individual whereby a dishonored check could then be traced to the person who has offered it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,866 to Lloyd. Jr., describes a check validation system again located together with a Point-of-Sale system for imprinting and otherwise physically dealing with a check.
Other systems also deal with an apparatus for handling checks at a point of sale. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,743 to Fukatsu describes one such transaction apparatus where a check is examined by a reader. U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,377 to Murhy, et al. describes a check authorization system wherein a check is imprinted with a bar code and information concerning customers which are stored in a database. U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,470 to Schuller discloses a vending system using a modified form of a check which is imprinted with identification codes, when someone attempts to use the check in purchasing goods and services, a vending operation will not place the order if information associated with the check is not valid in a particular database.
Other check-based financial systems have also been the subject of invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,457 addresses an ATM or automatic teller machine form of cashing checks. Such systems create a picture of the check involved and also involves checking against a specialized database to insure that the check is a "valid" one (see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,040 to Granzow et al.).
Another generic category of financial systems deals with methods of handling the financial transactions apart from the physical handling of the check itself. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,544 to Simjian describes a merchant issued "check" which can be used in the purchase of goods and services and upon purchase, a specialized code is evaluated to determine if the check is being validly utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,649 to Nunley et al. describes a document processing system which generally discloses a method of reading checks for processing a wide variety of financial documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,330 to Caine also describes a method for processing financial documents which systems also includes a Point-of-Sale terminal for generating image data from checks as they are being processed. This patent is drawn principally to the actual terminal itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,802 to Ohmae et al. describes a central processing system having stored data relating to the counts of users. Users are approved or disapproved at the Point-of-Sale based upon information in the database.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,042 to Case discloses a point of sale system that requires a consumer to prepay a sum of money into a special account that is accessed only by the system. This amount is inscribed on the card, and when a transaction made using the system, the amount of the transaction is punched out of a designated area on the card. This amount along with a signature and other information, is supplied on a draft negotiable instrument, which is given to the merchant at the time of the transaction. Thus, the Case system does away with the use of bank checks in effecting the transaction, but requires the use of specialized prepaid draft negotiable instruments that must be surrendered to the merchant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,264 to Deming discloses a home banking system that can be used to transfer funds to different payees in satisfaction of debts incurred through previous purchases, use of utilities, etc. The system is consumer driven; that is, it is contemplated for use by the payor on a home personal computer. While the Deming system does away with the use of bank checks, account and other information must be keyed into the system. The Deming system cannot be used to read account and other information directly from an ordinary bank check and has no use for bank checks as instruments other than negotiable paper. Further, the Deming system cannot be used to transfer funds at the time of purchase and is not workable at the point of sale; the system can only be used to pay debts that have been incurred in the past and have accumulated.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,896 to Carlson et al. describes a Point-of-Sale system whereby an apparatus is provided to secure the processing and imprinting of checks.
All of these above patents deal with the specific problem of how to accept a check from a customer for the purchase of goods and services. They do not in any way address the subsequent processing of checks nor do they address the process by which checks are cleared through the normal automatic check handling clearinghouse operations that exist in the financial world. Thus, the interaction of these systems with the automated clearing house ("ACH") process is not addressed in any way. This is particularly important since if any Point-of-Sale check handling system is to interact with the ACH mechanism it must adhere to that processing scheme and must lend itself to use with a processing scheme.
Further, some of the currently used systems described above require the use of a bank check as a negotiable instrument which must be surrendered to a merchant. Some of the systems do away with the use of a bank checks altogether, but require a debit card or a specialized draft instrument to be used only with the particular system. None of these systems completely does away with the need and use for a negotiable draft instrument while using the consumer's bank check for identification and verification only. That is, current technologies such as check truncation, electronic check presentment and representment all require a consumer's initial issuance of a "paper" check. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide such a system.
It is an objective of the present invention to be adaptable for use with the ACH system and to be smoothly incorporated into it. In this fashion, the present invention will immediately be useful for a much wider range of financial transactions above and beyond those contemplated and disclosed in the background references discussed above.